In this study, an analysis of the possible causes of the failure in-service of a section of a plastic modular belt was conducted. The study begins with a reproduction of the service conditions in a traction gear. An analysis of the fracture surfaces revealed the existence of defects in the interior of the parts. With the aim of determining the origin of the imperfections and their influence on the failure, an exhaustive mechanical and rheological characterization of the material was carried out. The development of an FE Analysis established that the reduction of the tensile strength of the part due to internal defects was around 70%. Tests also showed that the most stressed area was the area where the most defects appeared. A simulation of the injection process showed that the defects are caused by the geometry of the part, leading to the conclusion that its failure was caused by bad dimensioning of thicknesses.

We present an unusual case in which an adult female committed suicide by fire while enclosed in the trunk of her vehicle. A finding of suicide was reached only because several key investigative facts were uncovered. Without these discoveries the case may still remain open as a suspicious death. Fire is rarely used as a mechanism of suicide in Western culture, and, as such, similar cases should be reported to advance our recognition of this phenomenon.

Bamboo fiber is one of the strongest natural fibers with high strength‐to‐weight and stiffness‐to‐weight ratios and can be used economically for manufacturing fiber‐reinforced composites. In this paper, bamboo fabric‐reinforced epoxy composite is manufactured and its tribological properties for load‐bearing applications are investigated. Sliding wear tests are conducted using a linear reciprocating tribometer and the effect of dry and lubricated contact conditions, applied load, sliding speed, temperature, and woven fabric direction on the coefficient of friction and wear rate are investigated. A scanning electron microscope is used to define the wear mechanisms at room and elevated temperatures. It is observed that the fabric orientation influences the mechanical and tribological performances of the composite material. Wear rate increases at higher loads and working temperatures; however, the effect of sliding speed is not remarkable, especially under lubricated contact conditions. The results present in this paper can be used for designing bamboo‐reinforced epoxy composites for load‐bearing applications, under different working conditions.